Monday

Fall can be some of the best
fishing of the year. As the temperatures cool down to a more
comfortable level, most gamefish move back into the shallows and
begin to gorge in order to "stoke-up" for the long winter
period of inactivity. The baitfish and shad have all spawned,
producing schools of millions of young baitfish, which the gamefish
gorge on. If you know a few good fall fishing tips, you can have some
very memorable autumn outings.

A lot of aquatic vegetation,
especially the grasses, begin to die-off in fall. These hold huge
quantities of minnows, because the decaying vegetation attracts tons
of plankton, which the minnows feed on. Larger gamefish feed on the
minnows, so if you find large areas of scummy-looking dead grass,
there will most likely be gamefish nearby.

Another way to look for fish in
the fall is to watch for wheeling and diving flocks of birds, such
as gulls. They are probably targeting a large school of minnows or
shad near the surface. There will be gamefish underneath, savagely
attacking the school from below. Many times, you can actually see
the water boiling as if a school of piranhas were feeding. Cast
right into the melee, and hang on. When the school disperses, look
for another one. This is called Jump-Fishing.

In fall, wind becomes a more
important factor in locating fish. It is because the baitfish will
congregate on the downwind side of a body of water, so if there is a
south wind, the bait fish will stack-up on the north side, and
vice-verse. The gamefish will follow the baitfish.

In fall, fish feed at different
times, and not all fish will be feeding at the same time, so the
fishing may be in stages. Also, cold snaps will run fish back out to
deeper water, so on especially cool days, look for fish in deeper
water, near cover.

Here is a fall fishing tip that is
often overlooked. Fly anglers use a technique called "Matching
the Hatch", meaning they try to approximate the colors, shape
and size of whatever bug is currently on the water. You can do the
same thing with lures, by selecting ones that are similar to the
local baitfish as far as size, color and action. This will increase
your odds greatly, because the gamefish are used to these.

Autumn can be a very productive
time of year to fish, and even more so if you learn just a few basic
fall fishing tips.

Sunday

Ah, summertime....The spawns are
over, the weather is getting hot, and most fish, and people begin to
get a little moody from the heat. But don't hang up your rod, just
yet. While it is great to hang out at the beach, and catch some sun,
there are still fish to catch. Summertime is more than just barbecues
and picnics for those that know a few summer fishing tips.

When the spawns are over, bass,
and crappie head back out to deeper water and sulk. Crappie will
suspend at different depths without any regard to structure, and
refuse to bite anything unless it almost swims into their mouth. In
summertime, it's best to leave the crappie to the die-hard crappie
specialists. Bass, on the other hand, still actively feed, and will
congregate along drop-offs and structure in deeper water, and move
into the shallows to feed in the mornings and evenings (and even
sometimes at night). Sunfish may move out into a little deeper water
in the heat of the day, but most of them will just look for some
shade from overhanging vegetation. They like to sit under trees and
wait for bugs to fall in the water, giving them a free meal. Striped
and White bass will cruise the lakes and rivers looking for schools
of shad, and pother bait-fish to dine on, and will stage off of sandy
points in morning and evening. Catfish will cruise drop-offs until
nightfall, then move into the shallows looking for just about
anything edible.

In the mornings and evenings, bass
are very susceptible to a top-water cast near cover. Good choices
are Pop Rs, Billy Basses, and Heddon Chuggers. At night, black
Jitterbugs and Hula-Poppers can be deadly.

During the day, try working diving
crankbaits along ledges and channels for largemouth bass. Bagleys
Diving Bs, and Rapalas work very well for this. Jigs are also a good
choice.

To get the most bang for your
buck, try flyfishing for bluegills. Cast tiny poppers, dry flies, or
especially terrestrials under overhanging trees, and into the
shadows. These little pugs will pounce on flies, especially anything
that looks like a cricket, spider or ant.

To find striped and white bass,
look for flocks of diving birds. Likely as not, right underneath
them will be large schools of bait-fish, and underneath them will be
schools of bass. Drive your boat to within casting distance and
throw your lures directly into the boiling water. When the action
slows down, just wait a bit, and they will re-surface nearby, or you
can just look for another school. This is called Jump-Fishing.

Summertime doesn't have to be downtime
for fishing, if you learn a few good summer fishing tips.

The word Minnesota comes from a
Dakota (Sioux) word meaning “sky-tinted water”. The
state of Minnesota is also known as the “land of 10,000 lakes”,
for good reason. In addition to being the center of the U.S.
Scandinavian culture, it also boasts hundreds of miles of beautiful
forests, and crystal clear lakes and streams. These waters are full
of perch, pike, muskellunge, and walleyes. Whether you are trying
your luck in a Dark-House, through the ice, or trolling for
summertime walleyes, knowing a few Minnesota fishing tips can prove
helpful.

Northern Pike prefer cooler water
than Muskellunges, so they start biting first, soon after ice-out.
For both species, in early spring, troll spinners and crank-baits
along deeper weed-beds.

Northern Pike seldom bite during
the spawn, so when the water temperature is around 40°F to 45°F,
it might be a good idea to fish for something else for a bit.
Spawning usually last for around a month or so. Then, they will be
back on their feed.

Use a longer rod for Northern
Pike, up to 8 feet, or more. This will allow you to cast farther,
give you more control when reeling lures through weed-beds, give you
more leverage for hook-sets, and allow you to control the fish
better.

Keep your hands away from a pike,
or muskie's mouth as much as possible when unhooking them. Those
teeth are there for a reason. Use a hook-out device, and wear
gloves.

When using a crank-bait for pike
or walleyes, try to match the color and size of local bait-fish as
closely as possible. This will result in more hits.

If the walleyes seem to be moving
a bit slow, try switching to leeches. Leeches are slow-moving, and
lethargic fish often prefer them for an easy meal.

A lot of states have special rules
for different bodies of water, but Minnesota seems to carry it to
extremes at times. Be sure to know the rules for the body of water
your fishing on.

Cold-Fronts have a tendency to
cause fish to get lock-jaw. Wait 24-48 hours after a cold front
moves through to go fishing.

One of the best baits for black
bass is a plastic worm, preferably in purple. Fish it directly in
cover, Texas-Rigged, as slowly as you can stand it. In the spring,
plastic crawfish and lizards are also deadly. Fish them the same
way.

If you see large flocks of
wheeling and diving birds over the water, fish right under them.
Chances are, there are large schools of bait-fish, and underneath
them will be large schools of striped or white bass, and maybe other
species.

Minnesota offers some great
fishing opportunities, and they can be even better if you keep in
mind a few Minnesota fishing tips on your next excursion.

There is no shortage of places to
fish in Illinois. The Prairie State's landscape is peppered with
lakes and ponds, and etched with numerous streams and rivers. With
this many opportunities, it can be a chore trying to decide where to
fish. It may help to have a few Illinois fishing tips under your belt
before deciding where to go.

Illinois lakes and reservoirs
offer outstanding fishing all year. If you want to bring home a few
bluegills for supper, try fishing for them through the ice at Rend
Lake. For spring pike, you can do no better than casting a lure
in Chicago's Wolf Lake, soon after the ice-out. If you are a
die-hard bass angler, in early spring, your objective should be Crab
Orchard, and Brusse Lakes, for some of the best
early-season bass-fishing in the mid-west. The Fox chain of
lakes in northeast Illinois is a walleye anglers dream come true.
The best time to go is from mid-April to mid-May. To get in on the
action of spawning crappie in May, try Decatur Lake. To try
your luck with monster muskies, drop a line at Evergreen Lake,
Shelbyville Lake, or Shabonna Lake. All three lakes have
produced many trophy-sized muskellunge. For catfish aficionados, the
place to go is Rend Lake.

For some hot stripped bass action
in the cold of winter, throw some jigs in Smithland Pool, on
the Ohio River. If you get silly for saugers, drop some
nightcrawlers in the deep holes of the Illinois River in
February. For the fastest walleye action you've ever seen, try
fishing below tailraces on the mighty Mississippi in late
March. Fly anglers wanting to target some really nice small-mouth
bass should try lobbing brown & orange Clouser Minnows at Apple
Creek, in April. For the biggest bluegills in the state, drop
some red wigglers in at Panther Creek, near Springfield. The
Mississippi River backwaters are legendary for producing lots
of large catfish and Large-mouth Bass.

The states biggest single fishing
resource is undoubtedly Lake Michigan, one of the Great
Lakes. This large, deep glacial lake offers outstanding fishing
for many species. The harbors offer fantastic Brown Trout fishing
all year long, great spring perch fishing. Atlantic, Coho, Pink and
Chinook Salmon abound in the large open waters. Weed-beds in the
shallower bays have large populations of crappie, pike, musky,
sunfish, and both Large and Small-mouth Black Bass. Striped and
White bass cruise the waters off of points in huge schools.

Illinois may offer more different
types of fishing than any other single place in the country. By
making note of some Illinois fishing tips, you can have a much better
chance of getting your limit, the next time you go fishing in the
Prairie State.

Thursday

Few
things are more depressing than fishing from shore, and watching
someone in a boat catching a lot of fish just outside your casting
range. It's happened to all of us at one time or another. Many times,
a boat is just not feasible, either for the trouble it takes to use
one, or financial concerns. Fortunately, in calm waters, there is a
compromise available. Float tubes allow and angler to access
productive water without the hassle of maneuvering a full-sized boat,
are very quiet, and relatively inexpensive.

A
float-tube is one or more air-inflated bladders with a cloth cover, a
seat, and usually a nice backrest, with plenty of pockets for gear
and D-rings for accessories. The angler sits in the seat and propels
the unit with a pair or swim fins, moving through the water
backwards, much as in rowing, except the hands are free for casting.
They can be used with waders in cold water, or just swim gear in warm
water. They are extremely comfortable for all-day fishing. The only
down-side is that they are very slow, and you won't be covering a lot
of distance in them. But they serve their purpose well. They are
very safe, if you use some common-sense, and a few float fishing
tips:

Always wear a PFD when
using float tubes. If one compartment deflates, there is no
guarantee the other compartments will keep you afloat.

It may sound obvious,
but you probably should not use a float-tube in waters that are
inhabited by alligators, sharks, piranhas, or anything that may
decide to bite you, since your whole lower half is sitting in the
water.

Although I have seen it
done, I wouldn't recommend using float-tubes in saltwater, even in
protected waters. The danger from marine life, undertows, riptides,
and such is just too great. A kayak is a much better option.

Always have a repair
kit with you. Small holes can be quickly and easily repaired, and
you can get back to fishing within minutes.

Don't over-inflate your
float-tube. The air can heat up on the water and expand, causing a
blowout that cannot be repaired on the water.

When walking into the
water, and exiting the water with swim fins, walk backwards. It is
difficult to walk forward in swim fins, and falling in a float-tube
on land is no fun at all.

Float-tubes can greatly
expand you fishing possibilities, especially if you use

Sunday

Grappling
for catfish is a very ancient way of harvesting finned-food, going
all the way back to the Stone Age. If you've ever had a desire to
tackle fish on their terms, this is it.

Also
known as "Noodling',
grappling is simply wading dark, murky waters, sometimes neck-deep,
and sticking your hands into places like rock crevices, caves,
undercuts, and sunken brush, sight-unseen, and trying to locate a
catfish. When you find one, you grab it by the gills, or whatever, or
it grabs you, and you drag it out into open water and wrestle to the
shore. Sounds easy, huh? …..Not! Channel, Blue and Flathead
catfish can get to a respectable size, and have very strong jaws.
This is no picnic. This is extreme-fishing, period. Grappling
can be downright dangerous, but if you know a few grappling fishing
tips, it can be a little safer.

At
the present time, grappling is only legal in 17 states, including
Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin,
but several other states have legislation pending to legalize it
within their jurisdictions. In addition, even in states where it is
legal, there are bodies of water with Special Regulations that
prohibit grappling, so be sure to check the local laws before
grabbing catfish in an unfamiliar stream, river, pond or lake.

Never
go grappling alone. There are too many things that can happen.
Snakebites, accidents, injuries from the fish, or even grappling a
catfish big enough to hold you under. This is not a solo-sport.

One
of the best times to go grappling is in the spring, when catfish are
spawning. Then they are in shallower water. But keep in mind,
they are also more aggressive at this time.

While
you are sticking your hands into holes, crevices, undercuts and
brush, keep in mind that what you find is not always going to be a
catfish. Muskrats, beavers and other aquatic mammals can give you
nasty bite, and may carry rabies, so if you feel fur, it's best to
back out quickly and look somewhere else. Likewise, snapping
turtles, which can get quite large, and have the ability to remove
an appendage with one bite, water moccasins (very poisonous water
snakes), snakeheads (a toothy invasive fish species in some states),
large salamanders (yes, they can bite viciously), and gar could also
be lurking in that hideout. Try to determine what may be in the hole
before you stick your hand in it. It may seem like a redundant
warning, but it is probably not a good idea to go grappling in
places that have populations of alligators, like southern Texas,
Louisiana, and Georgia. The alligator will probably win.

Always
carry a good-sized, dependable knife with you. You could get hung up
in old fishing line, trot lines, or have other mishaps where a knife
could save your life. I recommend a good dive knife, which can also
double as a pry-bar if needed.

The
key to defeating gargantuan catfish, and minimizing damage to
yourself. is to control the tail. You do this by wrapping your legs
around the fishes body as soon as it clears the hole (while avoiding
the sharp pectoral and dorsal spines). If you do not control the
tail, even a modest 20 pound catfish can have it's way with you.
This also stops the catfish from spinning, which is dangerous for
you. Catfish have many small, abrasive teeth, and if they can spin,
they can rip the hide right off of your arm.

Make
sure you always bring a First-Aid kit and know how to use it. Let
someone know where you will be when you go out, so they have an idea
where to look for you if you are late coming home.

While
serious injuries are rare while grappling, the danger does exist. But
having direct contact with the fish, and the element of danger is
appealing to a lot of people, more and more each day. If you decide
to have a go at monster catfish, head-to-head, keep these grappling
fishing tips in mind, and good luck to you.

There
have been enough books written on how to catch trout to fill several
libraries. And most of them say all the same things. "Read
the water....", "Make Quartering Casts.....", "Match
the Hatch...",
yadaah, yadaah, yadaah... The same old trout fishing tips that the
ancient Macedonians used. Don't get me wrong. All this information is
great...the first 50 or 60 times you hear it, but in over 2500 years
of trout fishing, can't anyone come up with something new? Not
everyone wants to learn to fly fish, or learn entymology
(all
about bugs...), and it is not necessary to do so just to catch trout.
I have caught many a Rainbow Trout on nothing more than a worm and a
cane pole. I love fly fishing, and tying flies, but it is not the
end-all of trout fishing. It has just as much to do with tactics as
it does tackle.

Here
are some trout fishing tips you will probably never see in a book:

Trout have incredible
hearing. No matter what you have read, it is not always necessary to
wade, and it is better if you don't. Humans cannot move through
water silently, no matter how hard we try. We are not aquatic
creatures. Stay on the bank, and at least 10 feet from the edge of
the water as much as possible. When you do wade, take small, slow
steps, not lifting your feet any more than absolutely necessary.
Even when you are standing still in the water, the trout can hear
the water rushing past your legs.

Trout can smell even
better than they can hear. The night before you plan to fish, do not
smoke, use deodorant, soap, or aftershave. As soon as you get to the
river, lake, or stream, run your hands and any other exposed parts
of your body through the stream or bank mud to hide your scent. It's
a good idea to put scent on your lures as well, such as Smelly
Jelly, or BaitMate, to cover up any human smell. And always fish
upstream, as smell will be carried downstream with the current.

Trout have wonderful
vision, and can see colors. Your waders may be OD Green, but trout
look up for things falling in the water, and they can see that
bright orange hula shirt you like to fish in from several yards
away. Stick to subdued colors that will blend into the background.
Camouflage is great. Try to stay low as much as possible, and use
cover when you can, such as tree limbs, rocks, etc....

Stalking trout is a
great challenge, and also can make one become somewhat reflective,
because we all know that trout don't live in ugly places. Be that as
it may, the idea is to catch fish, and by applying these trout
fishing tips, your odds of success will increase greatly.

Friday

Basic rules to follow when choosing the right color of bass fishing lure

This is a fishing tips article on some basic rules to follow when choosing color of your bass fishing lure.
This may be pretty basic for your more advanced anglers but they may learn something as well.

Choosing the right bass fishing lure entails many things as you know. These things consist of example: time of day, type of day, watercolor, location and type of body of water that you are fishing, area of the country or world that you are in along with a lot of other variables.

So a key factor for choosing the right color fishing lure will entail many of the above things.
In this article we are mainly going to focus on choosing the right color of fishing lure on the type of day and watercolor. We put these in a few basic rules to follow and have listed them below.

Basic rules to follow when choosing the right color fishing lure.

1. On hot sunny days with clear water we would choose a brighter shinier type of lure.

2. On overcast days with a lot of clouds and murky colored water we would choose a medium color like a red, motor oil, or pumpkin seed type, color.

3. On very hazy days and very dark water we would choose a very dark colored lure like black this is because the fish are going more for vibrations and sound rather than visual, on these days you can get a lot of reaction type strikes.

Those are the three basic ways that we recommend for choosing the right color of bass fishing lure.

In conclusion,
Take in consideration your environment and type of day when choosing the color of your bass fishing lure.
Remember nothing is etched in stone sometimes, what you think might not work, does!
If you’re not catching anything doing the traditional methods listed above try something unconventional.

For those of you who are interested in rainbow trout fishing tips (which you obviously are because you are reading this article) some of the best tips revolve around the type of baits to use to catch these beautiful fish. Should you use "flies", man-made bait that comes in jars, minnow plugs, live bait, or should you search the internet for a "homemade" trout bait recipe? In this article I will draw upon my twenty plus years of knowledge fishing for the beautiful fish known as the rainbow trout to outline a list of the best baits to use for rainbow trout.

Now, I will undoubtedly leave out a bait or two, but in my experience the following baits are at the very least among the best baits that can be used for the fish that many anglers refer to as rainbows. If you don't already employ any of these trout bait choices, you should consider adding them sooner rather than later if you are interested in being a successful trout angler.

Live Worms - Live worms are a wonderful bait choice when it comes to fishing for "rainbows", particularly if you are fishing in a river. Drifting a live worm through the current of a river or stream that contains rainbow trout is a wonderful technique to use. Often referred to as drift fishing, this technique is a great way to fool hungry trout.

Insects - Insects are a major food source for this particular species of fish and while live insects are difficult (if not impossible) to use as bait for trout, artificial insects (flies) are not. Therefore artificial flies are the best way to mimic live insects and are thus great bait for rainbow trout. I realize that this fact isn't a secret as there is an entire style of fishing devoted to fishing with artificial flies called "fly fishing". However it is often assumed that spin fishermen can't use artificial flies as bait, which is a mistake. Artificial flies can be used as bait by spin fishermen by employing a small plastic sphere called a casting bubble. For spin fishermen this may be one of the best rainbow trout fishing tips that they ever receive. The bottom line is that insects are a major food source (and thus a great bait choice) when it come to fishing for rainbow trout.

Power Bait - Although often scoffed at by rainbow trout "purists", power bait is an excellent bait to use to catch rainbow trout, particularly if those trout and been "stocked". This particular trout bait is normally "still fished" in a lake or pond that has been "stocked" with rainbow trout.

Power Worms - Power worms, whether you are talking about power trout worms or "alive" night crawlers, are extruded worms that are impregnated with life like scents that fish find to be as real as live worms. Some anglers even swear that Power worms will out fish live worms when it comes to fishing for rainbow trout.

There is little doubt that the aforementioned trout baits should be a part of any serious trout fisherman's repertoire. Are they the only bait s that can be used for our beautiful friends known as "rainbows"? Of course not, but if you haven't tried any of these baits, you probably should, sooner rather than later.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his five year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.

First of all, before we get into techniques on rubber frogs it is always a good idea to fish the environment rather than fish our favorite type of bait. Yes it is true you could make an example a crank bait or buzz bait work in weeds, moss and where there are a lot of lily pads. But that is not using the environment to your advantage we are not saying that these baits will not work in those areas. You do however have to worry more about snags as being more of a problem.

Fishing with Rubber Frogs
Like we said before this is a tip on using rubber frogs and basically this is just an example of using the environment to your advantage. Let’s say you go to an area that has a lot of moss and Lily pads. Well, the environment tells me that using a rubber frog lure as bait would be a good idea.

Choosing the type of rubber frog or the color will take some trial and error but as a basic rule on a sunny day with clear water we tend to try brighter colors with sparkle first. On the same token on hazy days with overcast skies or when the water is murkier we would use a darker color.

A basic example on a sunny day with clear water the fish tend to be hitting better on watermelon red sparkle color. On the same token on the hazy day with murky water we will tend to have better luck with a darker color example dark green or brown in color or even black…

When using frogs in around the lily pads one good presentation is to use them as top water bait bouncing them up out of the water onto Lily pad and then back in the water again letting them fall down as you retrieve you can, however can use multiple techniques for presenting these frogs as bait.

In Conclusion
Trying fishing the environment.
If you see a lot of lily pads and Moss try using a rubber frog.
A basic rule of thumb for choosing color type Sunny and Clearwater will use shinier and brighter colors.
Hazy days in murky water tend to benefit darker colors.
Adjust your technique for presenting the frog to the bass to find out what will trigger a reaction for them to bite.

Thursday

A few basic bass fishing tips for fishing grass and other types of vegetation

This is a basic bass fishing tip for fishing around grass, moss, Lily pads and other types of vegetation in shallower waters. This may be pretty basic for your more advanced anglers but they may learn something as well.

Remember the best places to find bass especially on hot days is where it is cooler and on hot days it is cooler in the vegetation areas of the lake, river or pond that you are fishing. Especially if there is no cover like old logs or other obstructions or some overhanging brush or trees that create shade. (All of them areas are good to find bass especially on hot days.)

Fishing Grassy and Vegetation areas
Basic things you should consider when fishing through or around vegetation. One is to use a weed less type lure like a spinner bait or a weed less rubber worm, which is my particular favorite. Because on hot days the fish will be in these vegetation areas and you need to be able to fish them areas without getting snagged.

One problem with using the weed less rubber worms and other creatures is it is a little harder to set the hook so what I we do is slow down retrieve when we know we have a fish bite this ensures that the fish fully takes the bait then we use the reel in technique for setting the hook rather than pulling the rod type set.

Generally, it is a good idea to fish the outside edges of the grass or vegetation because that’s normally where the bass would congregate even on cooler days because they’re looking for food and hoping astray shad or other type of wounded fish or frog will get away from the bank or shelter and they can get an easy meal. In addition, the bass like to hide under the moss and lily pads for cover this is especially on the warmer days.

On the sunny days and clearer water we like to use a flashier type rubber worm this is where the spinner baits come in to play to a degree because they have the flashy look. But as far as the rubber worms if it has a sparkle the bass are attracted to this type of look and you get a reaction type bite.

On cooler days you can still fish the edges of the grass or vegetation and use a weed less lure but you would slow down your retrieve and experiment with darker colors this is best done on overcast days and in murky water then you would want to have something that makes some sound as it is harder for the fish to see because the water being darker.

In conclusion,
This was just a few basic bass fishing tips for fishing in grassy areas and other types of vegetation.
Remember when fishing in vegetation use a weed less type fishing lure like a spinner bait or rubber worm.
On hot days where there is no obstructions or overhanging trees or brush to create shadows fish outside the moss, Lily pads and other grassy areas.

Weather can be a major factor in your strategy when going bass fishing. Being able to understand how weather affects the fish can be a great ally in your fishing endeavor. Using the weather to your advantage can be the difference between having a good day and a bad day when bass fishing. So in short learn to use the weather to your advantage.

Just a couple basic examples of using weather in bass fishing.
When its cold Fish respond, slower so you need to the slower in your technique.
In the same token when the waters warmer fish will be faster so you would want to be more aggressive with your technique.

When it is windy, fish normally are more towards the top of the water when it is calm fish for go deeper. So this plays an important factor in not only the depth that you would fish but also the type of fishing lure your might use. (Note; A fish finder can be a great ally in finding bass in this situation.)

In conclusion
Understand how weather effects the environment that you are fishing in.
When the water is cold, the fish move slower and are less aggressive.
When the water is warmer, the fish are faster and more aggressive.
When it is windy the anglers more towards the top of the water.
When the water is calm, the fish go deeper.
Learn to use the weather conditions as your ally when bass fishing or any type of fishing for that matter.

The Jerk and Pause Technique
One jig fishing technique used is after you cast out make sure that the jig goes all the way to the bottom of the lake, river or pond you are fishing, then after the jig hits bottom pause for a few seconds then slightly jerk upward with your fishing rod. Then, let the jig fall back down to the bottom. When using the jerk and pause technique focus on small areas and repetitive casts. In addition, bass a lot of times bite out of instinct, not because they’re hungry.

Know your Fishing Bait
When jig fishing it is very important to be aware of what your fishing bait is actually doing. An example would be how long does it take for the bait to get to the bottom of the lake river or pond that you are fishing. You should make a mental note of the time factor involved in this because if it’s longer or shorter the normal you could have a fish taking your bait before it gets to the bottom.

Be aware of the Characteristics Lake, River or pond
When jig fishing it is especially important to fish where the fish are of course panfish can be found in places that have obstructions in the water an example would be an old dead tree that has been in the water for years. It is a good idea to look for that type of an obstruction and others include brushy areas and fishing docks these are also good areas to jig fish.

In the spring time the water temperature warms up very quickly in about 2 to 4 feet of water so it is a good idea to stay at the edges of the lake or river that you are fishing because these edges warm-up quickly.

Use a Spinner Bait or Plastic Worm
In this situation, some like to use your basic spinner bait to do this, but myself have had the best luck with the weedless plastic worm as a top water lure. None the less the idea is to probe the edge with the spinner or plastic worm and hope to find out where the bass fish are.

Again in the spring I have had the best luck with the basic type spinner bait or plastic worm. This works well on fishing the edges where the shallow waters are. This area heats up quicker and attracts the bass to the area this time of year.

Take Notes Another Fishing Tip
I like to take notes, I bring a little piece of paper and pencil, and maybe make an outline of the lake, and I will jot down on this piece of paper where I found fish. In addition, if I see fish jump as we often do, then I will fish that area, In addition, I will jot down where I seen any fish jump. Now, remember not always is a jumping fish a bass it could be another type of fish, but I use this is a reference anyway. This helps us a lot if we are in unfamiliar waters.

In conclusion.
In the spring time the edge of the water will warm up quickly because it is shallow.
This warmer water attracts the bass to that area in the spring time.
Fish the edges using a basic spinner or plastic worm as bait.
Take notes of where the bass fishing holes are and where you see fish jump. Remember jumping fish may not be bass.
Taking notes helps us a lot especially if we are in unfamiliar waters.

Good luck and good fishing. I hope this helps you in finding springtime bass.

Get Tips From The Locals.
The first thing I do when fishing unfamiliar waters is I need to find out from the locals in the area whether the type of fish that I am fishing for can be found in the waters that are around. This holds true whether it’s fly fishing for trout or bass fishing in a lake in any unfamiliar area.

So what I will do is ask around at some of the local Pro shops and resorts in the area to find out, number one if the type of fish that I am fishing for is in the waters and I tend to try to find out the best methods that are being used in that area whether it is the type of bait or the best place to fish. Of course, I don’t always expect them to give me their secrets. But I can find enough information to know that there are the type of fish that I am fishing for in that area and maybe the best places to go.

Use The States Fishing Information Guide.
Another good idea is to get a fishing information guide from that states Department of natural resources. These guides will not only tell you the type of fish and that states area but, a lot of other valuable information pertaining to fishing. Such as the laws, limits and other valuable Information about fishing in that area. You can get these guides at a local department store the sells fishing equipment or fishing pro-shop in that area.

In conclusion
This was just a few basic ideas on what you can try to find out, number one if your target fishes in that area and what the best techniques are for catching that type of fish from the locals.
Get that states fishing information guide from that state’s Department of natural resources to learn the laws the limits and a lot of other valuable fishing information.